Under the Christmas tree
by Miss-shiva-adler
Summary: Belle closed the library early today, I wonder why?


**Title : **Under the Christmas tree**  
Prompt : **"Santa Claus is real Rumple."**  
Summary : **Belle closed the library early today, I wonder why?**  
Rating: **NC-17**  
Wordcount : **10,075 (holy fuck)

**Author's note : **Written for Bkokocha during the Rumbelle Secret Santa 2013 event

Christmas, the most favored holiday season of the year: 2 days full of festivities that everyone could enjoy. It was the chance to gather with friends and family to enjoy being together. There was no need for lavish gifts or elaborated meals. Being with loved ones in the same room could put a smile on anyone's face.

One last glance at the room made her certain she wasn't forgetting anything. Belle French then tucked two books in her handbag before turning off the lights. She was already wearing her dark blue coat. It was mid-afternoon and the library was already closing. These last few days it had become quite the busy place. The new shipment of books of two weeks earlier had attracted more people than expected. It was quite the work to give every book the right shelf, but in the end hard labor had given its fruits. The poetry section had greatly expanded and the children section had improved in quality. An excited and delighted Mary-Margaret had even proposed organizing a monthly visit of the library with her class. Despite the distracting thoughts of the evening parties and festivities, half of the inventory had been done. Yes, she felt satisfied with her day of work.

She looked outside through the window and shivered. A glance at the thermometer told her it was colder now than this morning. With a sigh she tied her red scarf twice around her neck, hoping to store an extra degree of warmth before opening the door.

The transition from the warm cozy room of the library to the bitter cold was harsh. She pressed her lips and teeth together. It was just a question of getting a little bit used to it until she was back home. At least she was wearing pants. The door of the library being safely locked, she walked down the streets.

It had been snowing every day for the last 3 weeks and the temperature was below the 46 degrees. Luckily today the snowflakes had yet to make their appearance. Storybrooke was so alive today. All around the streets you could see parents rushing to buy last-minute presents or chatting up with neighbors. The brunette smiled as she walked past the playground. Curious, she stopped to observe the children playing. The different colors of coats were contrasting nicely with the ever-present white of the snow. Then a flash of blond hair, however half hidden by a green bonnet, made her recognize Ava Zimmer. A younger boy came up to her and stuffed her hood with snow. That must be her brother, Nicholas. The blonde girl laughed and turned around and picked up some snow. She was ready to throw but she noticed her observer. She waved:

"Belle !"

Belle waved back and the girl came up running towards her. The blonde emptied her hood of all the snow during the process.

"Hi, Belle," she repeated when they were face to face. Some snow was still trapped in the locks of her hair.

"Hi ! How are you doing? Are you liking your new book?" the brunette asked. Ava beamed up at her.

"Oh yes, it's wonderful! I hope that one day I will be as strong asScáthach and save my village, you know, when we get back to the enchanted forest!"

Belle smiled widely. She remembered another young girl dreaming about saving her village and being a hero. The girl came to the library often. She was always looking for new books about dragons and knights, always asking Belle's advice about what she should read next. Sometimes, after school, the little girl came round to chat with her.

"Oh you will, I promise. And all you have to do is be brave."

"And if I'm a bit afraid… I'll just have to do the brave thing and bravery will follow, right ?"

They both smirked knowingly. Nicholas called his sister's name and Ava turned around, proclaiming that she was coming.

"Belle?" The little girl's cheeks reddened. "When will the library be open again?"

The librarian laughed. The little girl was so eager to read.

"It will open again on the 27th."

Ava's face lit up. She thanked Belle before running off to her brother. Belle watched one more time how the blonde threw a snowball in her brother's face. Ava had the exact same passions as herself when she was younger. Perhaps she should ask the little girl to help her out with making the inventory. She was sure it would make Ava extremely happy.

The brunette resumed her walk home. Street after street she came closer to the pink house. Her hands were freezing. She put them inside her coat's pockets in an attempt to reduce the cold. Then suddenly she heard scurrying behind her. She turned around to see the unmistakable spotted fur.

"Pongo!" she exclaimed. The dog barked as he came up to her. He circled her, his tail waggling in excitement.

"Hi there big boy."

The librarian squatted to pat the animal on the head. Pongo's panting was making little clouds. She looked around for Archie. The shrink was nowhere to be seen. Her eyes fell on his neck. The absence of a collar was all too clear.

"Where is Archie, Pongo?"

Pongo barked when he heard his master's name. Archie wouldn't have let Pongo out without his leash or collar. Belle scratched Pongo behind the ears and his tail started wiggling frantically. She looked around, already calculating how she could bring him back to his home.

"Belle !"

Ah, there he was. She spotted the redhead at the other side of the street. The clothes he was wearing were creased. He had apparently been running for quite a while. She smiled when he came closer. Belle noticed the leash in his hand. The collar was torn. She laughed internally; Pongo was quite the cunning dog when he wanted to be. Archie's glasses were almost falling from his nose. He took the time to fix them before talking again.

"Thank god." He inhaled and exhaled rapidly, trying to get his breath under control.

"You found him !"

The librarian gave a short laugh. Archie had been looking for him for quite a while apparently. She took the leash from his hands. The collar was beyond repair. Nevertheless, she took a safety pin from her handbag. That would last at least the minutes Archie would need to get back home

"Well it is more like Pongo found me."

The shrink looked at her work on the collar. His smile showed how glad he was of the quick solution she came up with.

"Thank you"

He mumbled between his teeth. He clearly felt embarrassed by the whole situation.

"Good afternoon Archie."

She stood up and kissed his cheek. Suddenly the color of his cheeks almost matched his hair color. The shrink always got flustered when someone showed him kindness.

"Good day Belle," he said. Belle beamed up at him. The shrink was the sweetest person she had met in Storybrooke. He didn't judge her relationship with Storybrooke's old and 'dangerous' loanshark; he was always there when she needed someone to talk to. This had made him one of her first friends here in Storybrooke.

"Mind if I walk alongside you until you are home?" he asked her.

"Oh yes that would be lovely."

His house was the opposite of the direction she was going. Perhaps he just wanted to thank her. They walked side by side, talking.

"So how are things this morning?"

The shrink grinned at the question.

"Well things have been hectic; there are still quite some arrangements that need to be made. It has not been easy because Emma and Regina kept disagreeing with every possible solution. But like I already predicted to you and Gold; the dinner will take place tomorrow at 8pm. Regina was really difficult to convince after we gave her the guest list. But eventually she gave in after Henry pleaded to her to come. Not everyone is delighted but when it comes to his mothers the boy knows how to play it."

They had a short laugh in agreement.

"And how is Emma?"

The expression on his face became tender at the mention of the savior's name.

"Emma had a rough night yesterday at the sheriff's station. She has been working every night for the past few weeks. She really wanted those two days off for Christmas. I couldn't say no when she asked if she could sleep in today."

Belle saw his blue eyes lighting up. She felt very happy for him. He had always hidden his feelings and put the needs of others before his. Then one day he had come to the library and poured his heart out to her. His fears, his insecurities, his uneasiness around others that prevented him to talk about himself, how he always preferred to listen for a reason. There had been some crying and hugs but in the end from that day forward their friendship had never been stronger.

"Seems like you and Emma are doing great. I'm very happy for you."

His cheeks colored even slightly more pink and his eyes averted to the ground.

"Thank you, Belle."

In the distance the brunette saw the familiar house coming into sight. She'd be home in less than 5 minutes.

"So: tomorrow, Mary-Margaret's home, 8pm?" she verified.

The redhead nodded to confirm. The librarian was glad that the matter was settled. This prevented her from having to call in the middle of the night. They stopped at the garden path in front the house.

"Great! It's going to be wonderful, I promise. If I can get Rumple to even smile a bit, everyone is going be happy. I can't wait to see you all, and I intend to bring desert."

She hugged him tightly.

"Thank you so much for the walk home, Archie. I really appreciate it."

She kissed his cheek and he muttered a 'it was my pleasure.' The brunette crouched to give Pongo a last pat.

"You, be good."

He barked as an answer. After a last goodbye she walked down the stone path to the house. Archie's steps indicated he was on his way back. The brunette glanced over her shoulder to see him walk away, Pongo scurrying along next to him. Then suddenly a gush of cold wind took her by surprise. She managed to keep a yelp between her teeth, but started shivering. Talking to Archie had helped to forget the cold, and now it was back in full strength. Quick, inside she could warm up again. She walked up the steps to the house and took her keys out of her bag.

Once inside she sighed in relief. The warmth of the room was very welcoming on her numb cheeks. Her hands even stung a bit. She hung up her coat and scarf on the coat hanger. Then her stomach rumbled. The realization that she was quite hungry and thirsty hit her. She kicked off her heels and walked into the kitchen. Her handbag found itself a place on a chair. A glass of water, yes, that's what she wanted most right now. It refreshed her mind; in the corner of her eye she saw a little piece of paper on the counter.

"_At the shop, salad in the fridge. _

_Love, R." _

Her fingers touched the note, retracing the elegant R on the paper. Her lips curled upwards at the thought of her love making her a late lunch. He knew she would be hungry when coming home.

She opened the fridge to find a majestic Greek salad waiting for her. Her stomach rumbled again.

"Hang in there buddy, I'll give you some attention, just wait a little more," she muttered in her head. Once the kettle was set, the librarian couldn't wait any longer. She sat down at the table and without hesitation, she dug her fork into the meal. A little moan of pleasure escaped from her lips when she tasted the fine olive oil her love had used for the salad.

All the flavors complemented each other perfectly. Rumple really knew how to cook, even if it was something as simple as a salad. Back in the days Belle was the one who spent her time baking and cooking. Since they had regained their memories and woken up in Storybrooke, Belle underwent great difficulties to get the hang of the weird technology that surrounded her. The first few times she had used the gas stove had ended in a burning kitchen. Rumple, as always, had been very patient. He had taken time to teach her how to work with them. These attempts had resulted in quite a lot of burned and undercooked meals. But in the end she could make a decent evening meal and bake an apple-cinnamon tart.

She devoured her salad. When the kettle sang, she stood up to make herself a cup of green tea. If it weren't for the heat, she would have drained her cup in one gulp. Her belly felt completely full now. She closed her eyes and laid a hand upon her stomach. When she opened her eyes she looked at the clock. There was still some time left before she had to prepare for the dinner party of tonight.

Perhaps she could read some of the books she had brought home. Without looking she took a book. Upon the leather cover she read in white letters : _The Professor - by Charlotte Brontë_. Satisfied with her blind pick, she decided to take a better spot to read than the living room. She found her way up the stairs and went to the master bedroom. There were many places in the house where she liked to read, but the bed inside Rumple's room was her favorite.

When she entered, the first thing she did was hop the book on the bed and undress. She would take a shower in an hour or so. She unclasped her bra, letting the cool air caress her breasts for a moment. Getting out of her clothes felt quite liberating. She went to the closet and took out a T-shirt that belonged to Rumple. He didn't have many of those, maybe 3 or 4. Compared to the amount of suits he had, T-shirts were a rarity. Most of the time it was Belle who wore them. Rumple only used them when he was doing manual work. She flung herself on the bed. The sheets smelled fresh. She rolled over on her stomach and reached out for her book.

Page after page she devoured half of her book. Then her eyelids became heavier and heavier. It wouldn't matter if she closed them just for a minute.

Her dreams where cloaked with different shades of white and bright colors. The sound of a car engine roaring made her drift back to reality. Rumple opened and closed the front door. Her eyes still closed, the brunette smiled as she heard him roaming around the living room. Perhaps he was looking for her? After a few minutes she heard his footsteps clunk on the stairs. He silently entered the room and limped forward to the bed. He let his cane rest against the nightstand.

She felt the mattress shift as he sat down next to her. A gentle hand touched the back of her head. It tenderly stroked her brown curls. She still didn't want to open her eyes. She just wanted to enjoy the soft touch of his hand on her scalp. His delicate fingers caressed her cheek and removed a hair lock out of her mouth.

"Did you fall asleep?" he asked her softly.

"Just for a little while."

She opened her eyes to peer into the deep brown color that were his. He had taken off his suit jacket and loosened his tie.

"What time is it?" she asked sleepily. He looked at the clock on the nightstand.

"It's 6pm."

His voice was soft, so very soft.

"Dinner starts at 8, right ?"

"Yes"

She sat up, still feeling somewhat drowsy from her nap. He glanced at her book.

"What were you reading?"

She smiled and picked up her book.

"The professor."

"Is it any good?"

She chuckled. "Yes, it is. Although a bit sad, but I'm sure it will have a happy ending."

A silence fell between them. He leaned over her and kissed her forehead.

"Perhaps we should start preparing ourselves."

He smiled and took her hand. She stood up, together with him. He didn't let her hand go. She came to stand in front of him. The brunette tilted her head to meet his mouth. His lips were soft against hers. His hands came to rest upon her waist, partly upon the fabric of the T-shirt, partly on her bare flesh. She stepped forward as he encircled her with his arms. How long had they stayed locked into a tender embrace? They wouldn't even know. They seemed to have forgotten everything around them.

Belle was the one to break the kiss. Her voice was awoken with new energy as she said :

"I'm going to take a shower."

Belle smirked and took her T-shirt off along with the black laced cotton underwear. She was completely naked in his arms.

"Care to join me?"

Rumple's lips formed a smile. She kissed his nose and left his embrace for the bathroom. She felt his gaze following her from her ankles to her shoulders, lingering a bit longer on her backside. She glanced over her shoulder to take a last look at him -he was undoing his shoes- before disappearing into the bathroom. She turned on the water to let it get warm before she stepped in. Shampoo and conditioner were already to be found inside the shower cabin. She rearranged the towels and stepped into the cabin.

The warmth engulfed her whole body. She closed her eyes and let the hot water lap at her skin. It made her sigh of relief. She had wanted that shower ever since she had put a foot out of bed this morning. Her muscles relaxed bit by bit as her body temperature rose. Behind her she heard the shower cabin door being opened and closed.

Two strong arms slid around her waist and Rumple's body pressed against her back. He felt colder than her. Belle smiled and turned around to face him. A little step back made him able to stand under the water spray. His hair became wet instantly and came to rest in front of his eyes. Her hand brushed the hair locks out of his face to the back of his head. He looked beautiful, with his hair clinging against his scalp and his naked body pressed against hers. Her hand trailed upon his chest, tracing his ribs and stomach. Her hand rested on his waist. It was all so erotic, she bit the underside of her lip. She wanted to ravish him, lick every part of his body. She wanted to hear him moan. He smiled as if he was reading her mind.

He pressed his lips against hers. Even with the water running down his lips, she could still feel how soft they were. Both his hands cupped her cheeks as she opened her mouth to welcome his tongue. He tasted like black tea. He must have had a cup when he was downstairs. His tongue explored the roof of her mouth, touching the places that made her shiver. She groaned.

As blood rushed downwards, she plastered herself against his body. She wanted to feel him closer. Feel everything of him. Her hands continued their journey to his lower back and caressed him there. He let out a whimper. That place was quite sensitive for him. Her hand went even lower cupping his buttock and squeezed.

He broke the kiss. He was panting. Belle looked into his eyes filled with desire. His cheeks had a rosy color. He smiled embarrassedly when his arousal, trapped between their bodies, couldn't be hidden anymore. She rubbed herself against him. He gasped and she couldn't help but to kiss him again. His hands found their way to her hair, burying themselves into her locks.

She moaned as he assaulted her mouth. His tongue was everywhere. She sucked his bottom lip. Her hand wrapped itself around his now fully erected cock. His body jolted, an 'ah' crossed his lips. Her blue eyes locked with his.

"Sit down"

He complied. She knew he liked being ordered, to be directed. A grin appeared on the corner of her lips. New fantasies were forming in her mind as she saw him sitting down on the shower's bench seat. He looked at her invitingly. She sat down on his lap, joining their mouths once more. Her tongue darted into his mouth. He felt hotter and hotter against her. Her whole body was drawn to him, wanting him to touch her. His hands caressed her back. The tops of his fingers traced her spine. She shivered again. His hands knew every corner, every place. His thumbs caressed her upper thighs.

Her arousal was building up and she rubbed her core against his member. He dug his nails in her hips. He wanted her so hard. She could read it in his eyes. She sucked on his bottom lip. His hand cupped her buttocks. She climbed further onto him and he nuzzled himself in the valley of her breasts. He kneaded one of her breasts in one of his hands. He liked the feel of them 'so firm and soft,' as he always said. He brought a nipple to his lips. A tentative lick made her whimper, her eyes shut. She dug her hands in his hair as he sucked and slightly bit the rosy erected bud. It made her moan even harder as he repeated the same treatment to her other nipple.

She wanted more and grinded against him, looking for release. He let her breast escape from his mouth as the friction made him lose his concentration. His hand squeezed her breast one more time before travelling down to her thighs. Belle took a sharp breath when she felt his hand brush her folds. His hand felt wonderful and she opened her eyes wide when his fingers teased her core. She let out a growl. They were dipping inside of her.

Now, she wanted him now. Her hand reached between them. With a firm grip on his erection she guided him to the right spot. He whimpered her name as she sank down unto him. His hands were on her hips, trying hard not to scratch the tender flesh underneath them.

He felt so wonderful inside her. She laid her hands upon his shoulders. Yes, like that she could use her strength. She raised herself and sank down on him again. He gasped at the same time as her. She repeated the movement again. He kissed her, his tongue lapping at her lips. She almost started sobbing, her whole body screaming for more. She did it again and again. Rumple had always been loud and soon his satisfied groans mixed with her sighs, filling the room.

Both his hands cupped her backside. She bit her lip at the silent request and changed the rhythm into a back and forth movement. The new angle made her see stars. She was close, her moans becoming louder. His thumb travelled down to her folds, circling her clit. She mewled in pleasure and moved more frantically. He threw back his head against the tiled wall as she rode him, hard.

His finger flicking on her clit made her want to scream. He knew it was her weak spot. Her nails lodged themselves in his shoulders and in a final cry her whole body began shuddering. Only the first letter of his name breached her lips. He squeezed his eyes shut as her walls clenched against him. He whispered her name and he opened his eyes again. That one last look at her blue teary eyes pushed him over the edge. His hands trembled as did his whole body.

They took a few minutes to catch their breaths. When their heart rhythms stabilized, his hand cupped her cheek. He kissed her, tenderly. The kiss said thank you, the kiss said I love you and when he broke the kiss, his dark brown eyes looked at her as if she was his whole wide world.

"Perhaps we should start washing ourselves, otherwise we are never going to arrive on time."

He suspected not being able to stand for an extra few minutes so Belle helped him to wash his hair. He liked feeling her hands on his scalp. Her smooth voice and kisses made him still feel in heaven. Not much later, they both left the shower.

Belle found the towel and dried herself off. She heard her lover moving around and glanced at him. He was completely naked in front of the sink, preparing his shaving supplies. Her eyes averted to his backside. She enjoyed this view very much. It had taken a long time for them to reach that point of intimacy. Rumple had at first shied away from her; hid himself in the covers, never undressed when she was in the room, avoided to take showers and baths together, made love to her in the dark of the night, never leaving a light on. He had made sure she never saw anything he thought she didn't want to see.

One night she had asked why. _There is nothing appealing to an old scarred body. His feet were big, his hands calloused by spinning, his belly was anything but flat, his teeth were all crooked and his skin was wrinkled_, he had said; he had tried to leave his expression blank and neutral. But she had seen the pain in his eyes. He had wanted to turn off the light and sleep but she prevented him. The brunette dismissed the covers and had straddled his hips. The look of surprise appeared on his face as she removed her nightie, leaving her completely bare to his eyes.

"_What do you see?" she had asked, trying not to blush when his brown gaze travelled upon her skin._

"_You," he said, not really getting the point of all of this._

"_And do you think I'm beautiful?"_

"_Yes," he had replied. She had then taken his hand and laid it upon her breast._

"_Are you sure? Because all I can see is how my right breast is lower than the left, how one is bigger than the other," she explained. The expression on his face became an unhappy one as she continued: _

"_All I can see are the stretch marks on my hips and between my thighs" _

_She let her hand travel to her hips. _

"_All I can see is how my little toe is twisted and facing the other side." _

_He frowned, clearly in disagreement with what she was saying. _

"_Do you love me, Rum?"_

"_Yes"_

_He had whispered. She locked her eyes to his._

"_So you think I'm beautiful?"_

_His face showed a scowl._

"_You are beautiful and always will be."_

_She smiled._

"_And so are you Rumplestiltskin, in my eyes you are not an old man with a twisted ankle and crooked teeth." _

_She took back his hand and let it travel on her stomach to her curls, turning his palm so he could stroke between her folds. _

"_Do you feel that Rum?" _

_His pupils dilated when he felt the wetness between his fingers._

"_I am like this because you make me feel beautiful, because you look sexy and appealing. Because to me, no matter how you look, you'll always be beautiful. My body won't stop craving you and your touch. You are a beautiful and wonderful man, Rumplestiltskin, and I love you. I love you more than anything."_

He had then kissed her, kissed her with passion and need, kissed her with every fiber of his being.

They had made love that night; left no part untouched nor skin unkissed. He had loved her with his whole soul and heart. She had felt so special. Every touch of his hands had almost made her sob. He had only fallen asleep in her arms when the sun had risen high over the horizon.

It took time to show Rumple how wrong he was. Step by step he let her see more skin and more confidence. From that evening on their relationship was stronger than ever.

A quick peek at the clock made her realize that one hour had already passed. She had to speed up a little, otherwise they would be late at the dinner party. She took another towel and went to the bedroom. She dried her hair manually with the towel before plugging in her hairdryer. It was an invention she wasn't really fond off, but she didn't really have a choice right now. She sat in front of her dressing table and turned the device on. The librarian brushed her hair during the drying process. The brown locks were naturally curly and soon they restarted to take their form.

Rumple came out of the bathroom half-dressed. His hair always dried really fast. Right now it only needed a little bit of combing. He had chosen to wear the burgundy shirt, quite on purpose; it was one of her favorites. Her lover was closing the buttons on his sleeves and it didn't occur to him she was watching him as he sat down on the bed. Belle got completely distracted by how he put his sock garters on. Feeling her gaze he glanced at her. She smiled at him and busied herself to finish off drying her hair. Perhaps they should talk about his sock garters and the way they were extremely distracting when he was wearing them.

Belle let her hair loose and looked into the mirror. 'Minimal make up will do,' she thought by herself. Black eyeliner and little bit of dark red eye shadow would do. Satisfied with her powdering she stood up to go to the wardrobe. Rumple was next to it looking into a drawer, two ties in his hand.

"You should take the black one," she said. He looked up at her and put away the red one.

"Thank you," he replied. She took black laced panties and a matching bra in the drawer above the one Rumple had opened. Then she laid out a red dress on the bed.

"Which flowers have you chosen?" she asked him. Rumple was very short in his answer.

"White chrysanthemums"

She smiled at him.

"Good choice, I would have chosen them too."

She dropped the towel. Quickly she put on her undergarments, not liking the cool air of the room. The black opaque tights warmed her legs quite rapidly. She stepped into her dress. The fine silk felt good against her skin. The librarian put each of her arms into the sleeves. Rumple came towards her to zip her up. Before doing so his soft lips kissed the tender flesh of her shoulder. She almost didn't feel it. He closed her dress.

"Ready to go?"

He nodded, took his cane and a few seconds later they were downstairs. Belle smiled as she saw that Rumple had rearranged her shoes in the shoe rack. She took her shiny black tiptoes out. She liked those, they were extremely comfortable and in the summer they reflected the sun. Rumple liked them too. Her feet always looked at their best. She chose her black coat. Her lover was ready to leave the house.

"Do you have everything you need, sweetheart?" he asked her. She looked around.

"Ow I forgot my purse."

She kissed him on the nose and said she was going to be right back. Upstairs she took her purse out of her coat and opened it. She had forgotten Rumple's present. In the nightstand she took out a little rectangular box. She stuffed it in her purse. One last check in the mirror made her sure she looked presentable.

Downstairs again, she and Rumple exited their house. Belle sat in the passenger's seat. A last look at the back seat confirmed that the presents and flowers were there. She nodded to Rumple. Everything was in order, they could go. She laid down her hand on his thigh. It had been a habit of hers since the very beginning.

"I met Archie, today, concerning our plans for tomorrow."

Rumple smirked.

"And what did he say?"

"Well, as expected, 8pm at Mary-Maragret's house."

Rumple had a short laugh.

"So everyone will be there? Even Regina ? Must have been a hell of a job to convince her if _she_ is coming." His mocking couldn't have been more clear.

"Yes, everyone will be there. It could even be fun if you and she didn't fly at each other's throats all the time," she reproached him.

"I'll try to behave accordingly," he promised. If the car had stood still, Belle would have kissed his cheek.

"Thank you."

After a few minutes they arrived at their first destination. Rumple parked and stopped the car. Belle got out of the car and retrieved the bouquet of flowers from the backseat. She hooked her arm through Rumple's.

"Come, let's go and visit him."

They walked down the pavement, the sound of cane clicking. It was quiet; they were the only visitors. They walked for a few more minutes. Belle felt Rumple's muscles becoming a bit more rigid by each step. He was being brave. They stopped in front of the stone that out sprung from the ground.

_Neal Cassidy_

_Baelfire_

_Beloved Father and Son_

"Hi, Bae," said Belle, smiling at the gravestone. She unhooked her arm from Rumple's and gave him the flowers. A dark shadow of grief cloaked his eyes. The muscles of his face looked broken as he knelt down to present the flowers to the grave. She saw how strong he was when he got back on his feet. His eyes were showing the pain slicing through his heart.

"Merry Christmas, son."

He could crack down crying and screaming his grief until he had no voice anymore like he had done before. Keep a hold on the grass between his fingers, his nails digging into the earth. Trying to keep himself from clawing his way back to the coffin buried 9 feet under them. But he didn't. Not today.

This moment was for him and his son. The moment when he'd let his emotions out. The moment when he let his grief rule his actions. Sometimes he cried, sometimes he talked, sometimes he kept silent, sometimes he asked her not to come with him, sometimes he just went and left and sometimes he stayed for hours.

She knew it was what he needed. She never said to him it would get better. She never told him to stop. Rumple had spent his whole life looking for his beloved son, his beloved Bae. Finding him back but loose him again had scarred her lover deeper than anyone could imagine.

She slipped her hand inside of his; he kept a firm grasp on her, not letting her go. The corner of her lips curled a bit upwards. He knew she was there for him. They stood there in silence.

Belle took the liberty too look around. There was still a coat of snow on most parts of the graveyard. It wasn't big and perhaps the caretaker only came to clean up once a week.

Suddenly she became aware that Rumple was looking at her. His eyes looked peaceful now.

"Shall we go?" he asked with an uncertain voice.

"Only if you want to."

"I want to."

They walked back to the car. Once inside, Rumple started the car instantly. He clearly wanted to flee the place and the thoughts that were associated with it. The drive from the graveyard to their host's house didn't take long. The trip was made in complete companionable silence. Rumple never said much after his visits to Bae. The car stopped in front of the house. He deeply sighed and she caressed his thigh.

"We better keep going we're already…"

She had leaned unto him to kiss him. He relaxed in her kiss. When they separated their lips it was as if she drained the pain from him. He even managed to smile.

"Now we can go."

A glance at the clock: 8.15 pm. They weren't that late. With a rejuvenated smile Rumple got out of the car. He took an armful of presents. Belle relieved him from the heaviest package. They made their way to the house.

The wind rose. The librarian bit her lips. Maybe she should invest in a wind free coat. The coats she had were never warm enough. The image of her in a big rounded plumpy coat appeared in her mind. Well at least those stayed extremely warm when needed.

They rung the doorbell, and a completely delighted Aurora opened the door. She was wearing a blue cotton dress above the knees and she had white flower pins in her hair.

"Hello, we were already wondering if you were still coming. Wait; let me help you with that."

She hugged the librarian and took the package from her arms. She kissed Rumple's cheeks, closed the door behind them, walked to the stairs and called : "Phillip, they have arrived!"

A sound of rushing came from upstairs.

"I'm coming !"

"Let's put those under the Christmas tree."

They followed her into the living room. The huge three was taking most of the place next to the window; its decorated top touched the ceiling. Aurora had chosen the colors of the ornamentations, which were pink and gold. On the coffee table there was a huge pile of presents. Aurora and Rumple carefully deposited every present on the available surface.

The sound of somebody almost running down the stairs alerted Belle. She turned around to see two blue eyes looking at her, a tuft of messy brown hair almost hiding them.

"Belle !" Two little arms came hugging her legs.

"You are finally here !"

"yes, as promised."

She crouched and picked him up.

"So how is my little godson doing? My, you are getting heavier."

He beamed up at her. His eyes twinkled with amusement.

"I'm the tallest boy of my class now!"

"Well that's quite the achievement. Maybe you'll become taller than the house some day," she said playfully. Phillip propped his fists against his hips and looked disapprovingly at her.

"I hope not. Because otherwise I can't give you any hugs anymore."

The librarian smiled and kissed his cheek.

"Hello there buddy."

Rumple appeared and laid down a hand on her waist. The little boy started to jump excitedly in her arms.

"Hello there mister Gold."

He waved at him. Belle chuckled.

"How are you doing mister Gold?" he asked. The boy had taken a habit of calling him mister Gold rather than his name.

"Very good, thank you for asking."

Rumple's voice was always extremely gentle when he talked to her godson.

"Why don't you talk a little bit about your day to Rum so I can talk to your Mama?"

"Okay!"

She put the boy back on the ground. He started to explain joyfully all the details of what he had achieved in class the last few days. Rumple sat down on an armset of the couch and listened actively. Phillip used an active range of gestures to give more details when the pawnbroker asked a question.

Belle went to the kitchen. Behind the counter Mulan was cutting up the last vegetables needed to go with the turkey. Belle let her be until she was done. The oven was regulated and the cook took her 'chocoholic'-apron off. Checking the side dishes one more time then she acknowledged Belle.

"Oh Belle sorry I didn't see you standing there"

"That's no problem."

The woman hugged her tightly. They hadn't seen each other for quite some time, as each of them was very busy with their respective lives. Mulan's hair tickled the brunette's nose. The warrior had cut her hair short ever since Phillip had died. They broke off their hug.

"So nice to see you again. After the moving we had a lot of things to take care off. And…"

Belle shushed her.

"It's okay, I have been quite busy at the library too those last few weeks. Complete chaos since the mishap with the computer."

Mulan smiled at her. Rumple laughed quite loudly. Apparently Phillip had made quite a funny joke. The two women observed in silence.

"How is he coping?" asked Mulan.

"The nightmares have stopped visiting him every night. He had 2 full weeks of sleep until last Friday. I had to shake him awake because I was afraid he was going to hurt himself," said Belle. It had been 3 o' clock in the morning when she was woken up by the restless turning and tossing of her lover. Sometimes the nightmares passed as soon as they came. But that night Rumple had almost dug his nails into his face crying his son's name. Belle had shaken him until his eyes flew open. He had suddenly become aware of his surroundings and started crying. She had made him lay down into her lap and tried to smooth his sadness away.

Somehow Mulan picked up how the brunette had become a bit rigid at the memory. The warrior laid down her hand upon Belle's shoulder

"It will all be okay, Belle. He is just going to need time to heal."

"I know."

The silence that came between them was heavy. Too heavy for a joyful Christmas evening. So she proposed to join the others. Aurora had joined the conversation between her son and Rumple. They were all sitting on different couches in the room.

"So what are you all talking about?"

"Santa Claus !" replied Phillip, gesturing wildly.

"And what about Santa Claus?"

"Mister Gold didn't know that he was real."

Belle chuckled and looked up at her lover.

"Santa Claus is real, Rumple. Didn't you know?"

A grin crossed his face.

"No I didn't. I thought that the little imp, Santa Claus's assistant, was real though."

He winked at her and she and Aurora giggled. Mulan took out glasses and wine from the wine rack. She silently gestured to ask who wanted some, only Aurora nodded.

"I'm driving tonight. I'll take iced tea instead" said Rumple. Mulan poured two glasses of wine. Phillip got on his feet and cheered : "I'll bring you that immediately mister Gold. Do you want the same Belle ?"

The librarian nodded and she sat down next to Rumple. The little boy ran off to the kitchen.

"So Ariel couldn't come?" the princess asked, while Mulan gave her glass. She muttered thanks and took a sip.

"No, she and Eric decided to take a vacation to Paris for Christmas," said Belle, as she laid her hand on Rumple's thigh.

"They'll be back on Sunday," she added. Phillip came back with two glasses. They drank and talked a bit more until it was time for dinner. Belle admired the refined cutlery. Mulan said it had been in her family for generations. One day she had found it in a box on their doorstep. Rumple and Aurora exchanged a knowing glance.

The couples were facing each other and the little Phillip sat at the head of the table. 'like a king' he had said. Aurora had chuckled and Mulan smiled saying how much he looked and acted like his father when he said that.

Mulan served the opening dish, which was a Chinese vegetable soup, made from seaweed and wood-ear mushrooms. Next was turkey with an orange sauce with carrots and pommes dauphines. Halfway through the second dish Belle already felt like exploding. In the end they decided to leave the quiche and have a cheese plateau instead. By the time they finished that, Phillip had been balancing himself back and forth on his chair.

"So Phillip, what do you want to do now? Open up presents? Or do you want to wait after the Yule log?" asked Mulan, the grin on the little boy's face made it perfectly clear what he'd choose.

"Presents, now !"

They all laughed as he rushed from the table to the couch. Rumple and Belle stood up and helped to clean the table.

"What do you think Santa is gonna give you for Christmas, Belle?"

Belle wiped the table clean with a cloth Aurora had given her. Rumple helped to get the dirty plates into the dishwasher.

"I hope he is going to give me books."

Phillip looked at her perplexedly. Why did his godmother want books? She was a librarian. She sure already had enough of them.

"But you already have so many."

The brunette smiled and went to sit next to him.

"Yes, but books are the best weapons in the world. If I didn't like books so much I wouldn't have met your Mama."

The little boy beamed up at her.

"Then I'm very happy you like books so much Belle."

The other adults joined them on the couches. Phillip got to open the first present. It was brand new painting supplies. He squeeled, he liked painting more than anything. His room was full of paintings. A passion he got from Aurora's grandfather, apparently. He hugged his moms, saying 'thank you Santa!' numerous times. He went sitting on the floor to discover what the panting supplies entitled.

The next one to open a present was Aurora. Full of wonder she discovered a new aromatherapy diffuser. It was made from stone and was shaped like a dragon. Very useful, she had broken hers two days earlier. She kissed Belle on the cheek.

"Mom, is that a dragon?"

Aurora smiled to her son.

"Yes, can you put it in Mommy's special room?"

Phillip gladly accepted the dragon from his mother's hands. He stepped carefully out of the room. He didn't want his mommy's present to fall and break. He went upstairs to Aurora's meditation room.

Rumple resumed the gift exchange by giving Mulan the next present. She opened the little box and there she found a hair comb. Her eyes widened. She looked at Rumple in pure disbelief.

"Where have you found that?"

A knowing smirk appeared on the pawnbroker's lips. Mulan didn't show her emotions often. But right now her face was an open book. She had thought that the comb had been lost in the ruins of her burnt down home.

"Well I do have a shop."

Belle smiled. Rumple had asked her if it would be an appropriate present to offer. She had said it would make Mulan the happiest woman on earth.

"It was a gift from my father before I went to battle. I thought it was lost."

Aurora took a look at the comb. It was refined and not bigger than her hand. The green base was ornated by a huge jade lotus blossom at the top. It looked freshly polished. Rumplestiltskin's work, she presumed.

"Thank you…" was all what crossed Mulan's lips. She then proceeded by giving Belle her present. The warrior said it was quite special. Belle touched it, trying to figure out what it was.

"Is it a book?"

The smile on her lover's face gave it away. Delighted Belle tore the paper away. She opened the book on her lap in the middle. On the brown leather cover with golden letters she could read _'The beauty's quest'_.

"Rumplestiltskin and I thought of making you something very special."

She opened the book on the first page.

'_Once upon a time in a far away land, there was a beautiful woman named Belle…'_

She skipped a few pages and saw a drawing of her. Some pages further she saw a drawing of Mulan.

'…_it took me weeks to track the Yaoguai here…'_

"But that is…"

"Yes, this book tells your adventure. You always have your nose hidden between pages but sometimes you forget that you are a hero too Belle. That you have braved many dangers too. I asked Rumplestiltskin if he could help me with the drawings. He happily complied and said he'd help me."

The librarian wanted to tear up from joy, instead she stood up and hugged Mulan. She whispered a 'thank you' into her ear. Belle then sat back in the couch and kissed her lover. She didn't need to say thank you. He knew she was grateful for what he had done.

Phillip came down the stairs. He looked at the other presents and said:

"For who is the biggest one there ?"

"For whom," corrected Aurora.

"It is for you, pumpkin."

He didn't need to be told twice. He rushed forward and tore the packing away. On the box there was a girl riding a bicycle. Phillip jumped from joy.

"A Bicycle! Mama Santa gave me a bicycle !"

Mulan laughed. She gave the package a look.

"Apparently I'll have to assemble it. Can you wait until tomorrow?"

"Yes !"

The little boy almost military saluted his mother. Belle took another present from the table and gave it to Rumple.

"Merry Christmas Rumple. I hope you like it."

The pawnbroker smiled. He started to open it very slowly. It was a wooden box a little bigger than his lap. He looked at Belle questioningly; she only nodded to him to go further. He opened the box. Inside laid a distaff and a spindle. Rumple looked at it in wonder. He had seen hand spinning only once and that had been many years ago.

"Do you like it?" she asked anxiously. She wasn't sure, Aurora had suggested her to give him the present.

Rumple didn't answer and kissed her. Belle's heart fluttered, he was charmed by her gift. His lips were so deliciously soft she had to restrain herself from kissing too long. There was plenty of time for that when they'd be going back home.

"I love it very much."

She internally scratched the itch away of kissing him again. Aurora and Mulan shared a smile.

"Well perhaps you will be able to use it during your vacation in Scotland."

Both Belle and Rumple looked surprised. Mulan gave an envelope to the pawnbroker. He looked inside; two plane tickets to Scotland for 2 weeks.

"Scotland? Nice choice, Belle has been asking me to go for ever since she opened a book about that country. Thank you Mulan and of course you too, Aurora."

Now that all the presents were opened, they all stood up and went back to the dining table to eat the Yule log. It was made of a soft sponge cake with chocolate and butter cream inside. It was delicious and everyone decided to take another piece. Aurora offered coffee. She poured Rumple and herself a cup; Mulan and Belle stuck to tea. Phillip asked Belle very nicely if he could read her new book. The librarian had agreed and the little boy sat down in the couch with the book on his lap. Sometimes he asked questions and gave comments on what he was reading.

They talked about a lot of things. Belle went sitting with Phillip at his request. They read together in the _'Beauty's quest'_ until the boy started to fall asleep. When he did, she put a blanket over him. The librarian glanced at the clock; it was almost midnight and she started to feel tired herself. The brunette tried not to wake up the boy as she stood up. Rumple was in an animated discussion with Mulan about swords and the lost tradition of horse riding. She walked to the dining table and laid down a hand on her beloved's arm. The touch of her hand made him almost stop in the middle of his sentence. She pointed at the clock. He nodded.

"One last cup and then we'll go," he said. She smiled and turned around to collect the presents they got from Mulan and Aurora. When she came back, Rumple had stood up and he was leaning heavily on his cane. Perhaps he was tired himself. She laid down the presents on the table.

"I'm going to fetch your coats," said Mulan. Aurora walked to the couch to look at how her son was doing. Belle turned to Rumple. His brown eyes didn't look tired. Must be the coffee. He kissed her forehead.

"Is all well, sweetheart?"

"Yes, I'm just a bit tired that's all."

He looked at her with concern. But she kissed his lips to make the worry go away. Mulan came back with their coats. Belle helped Rumple put his own on.

"Don't wake Phillip. He needs his sleep," said Belle. The mothers nodded in agreement. Phillip had indeed still some difficulties to sleep in their new home. The librarian fetched her purse from the coffee table and took the presents under her arm. Mulan and Aurora accompanied her and Rumple to the door. They kissed each other's cheeks goodbye. Mulan hugged Belle one last time.

"Thank you for coming, it was nice to see you again."

"Yes it was."

She and Rumple walked back to the car. It was already extremely dark outside. A huge moon had risen in the sky and so there was no light needed when they walked. The librarian waved goodbye and got in the car herself. She put the presents on the back seat and they drove away. Her hand rested on his thigh like always. They didn't talk. They didn't need to. Belle enjoyed her conversations with Rumplestiltskin as much as she enjoyed his silence. 10 minutes later they arrived at their home. The pawnbroker stopped the car.

"Did you have fun?" asked Belle. She was sure he had but what he showed to others and to her was sometimes different.

"Yes, sweetheart, that I did."

His voice was low. She felt a shiver down her spine. That was the voice he used when he was planning something. His eyes would look into hers and she would feel like an open book.

"that's g…"

He had kissed her, his kiss was chaste. Another shiver went through her whole body to her toes. In the pocket of his jacket he took out a little box. Belle broke the kiss to look at it. Rumple opened it.

"That's my mother's wedding necklace, my necklace!" she exclaimed as she saw the little stone shine in the dark of the car.

"Yes"

She laid down her hand on the jewel. But she looked up to ask:

"Why? Why are you giving me this now?"

He laid down his hand upon her hand. His slender fingers touching her skin. His hand felt warm. Her hand felt cold but his touch had warmed her whole body in a matter of seconds.

"Because…"

He started, his eyes locked to hers. He was gathering strength to say what he was about to say.

"Because I love you" he said, his voice low. His hand moved to her wrist to touch the flesh there.

"Because I want to cherish you, because I want to show you how much you mean to me. Because without you Belle, I'd be lost. I'd be lost, trapped in my grief. Because without you, Belle, I would be no more. I would have died with him that night. You have always been there for me Belle, always. But I… I am not ready."

He inhaled sharply

"I'm not ready to marry you Belle. It will come I promise, I just need time. I… I am so, so, sorry. I wanted to give you this necklace as a promise. As a promise that one day I'll say yes. That one day I…"

She had laid down a finger on his lips. Her blue eyes looked at him tenderly and she kissed him. Softly, she kissed him - as softly as possible. His hands trembled. She broke the kiss and laid down the box on the dashboard. She got up -as well as you can in a car- and straddled him. It was extremely uncomfortable but all she wanted was to be closer to him. His hands wrapped themselves around her waist as she kissed him. Sitting on his lap and her body against his, her hands cupped his cheeks. She broke the kiss again, her face still very close to him. She drowned herself in his gaze.

"I know."

That's all she said and kissed him again, her hands sliding to his neck and hair. His arms around her tightened. Her tongue teased his bottom lip. She sighed as he let her invade his mouth. The contact made him shiver as much as her. The warmth of their bodies travelled downwards. Instinctively her hips started rocking against him. He answered by moving his hips against hers. She moaned loudly. Too bad it was cold outside.

"Perhaps we should continue this inside, what do you think?"

His eyes were burning with a new fire. She chuckled and nodded. With some difficulties they got out of the car. Belle picked up the presents from the backseat, as Rumple already limped down the path to their home. She observed him as he went.

"_I am not ready."_

Her heart had shattered in a million pieces. She walked up to him and hooked her arm in his. He smiled at her and she smiled back.

"_I am not ready."_

He fished his housekeys out of his pockets. The door was a bit frozen and it took a bit more effort to open.

"_I am not ready."_

'ah' he said and the door opened. The light sprung instantly, motion sensors.

'_Do the brave thing and bravery will follow'_

"Rumple?"

"Yes?"

"I… I have another present for you."

She laid the other presents on the ground. She took her purse and opened it. She gave him the little rectangular box. He was perplexed. She felt like shaking and crying but she stood her ground as he slid open the box. He took out the content. It was light, made of plastic and…

Two blue stripes.

He frowned, then the realization hit him and his eyes darted to her.

Two blue stripes.

Belle opened her mouth to say something but she couldn't. She heard her lover's cane fall on the ground. And suddenly Rumple was kissing her. Kissing her ferociously, his tongue, his teeth. He was cupping her cheeks. The passion she felt flowing through his lips made her want to cry. She clung at the lapels of his coat, trying to stay with her two feet on the earth. But her legs were trembling like a leaf.

'_He doesn't mind he is okay with it.'_

She was almost forgetting to kiss him back and when she did he wrapped his arms around her. He hugged her. It was more like crushing than hugging. When he broke the kiss they were both panting. He rested is forehead against hers.

"I am going to be a father."

Belle nodded.

"You are going to be a father."

He kissed her more sweetly this time. Just the lips, against hers. And the warm soft sensation that came with them.

She wanted to cry, she wanted to laugh. Her heart felt light. Many days she had been dreading the moment where she had to tell. Many days she had been crying silently telling herself it was going to be alright. Many days she had spent in fear of the reaction he was going to have. Now it was all gone. She felt more alive than ever before. She had been so scared he would pull away, so scared he would show her the door. So scared that he'd break down again. But they were okay now.

How long they stayed outside in the arms of each other, even they wouldn't be able to tell you. Completely absorbed in their own world, they didn't even notice the snowflakes that had started to fall from the sky. Rumplestiltskin and Belle. At last, they had their own chance for a happy ending.

The end


End file.
